Return
by Stelthykat
Summary: Set after the last episode of the 1st series but before the movie. In the ending scene of the episode it shows Al alive and well, but how did he get out of the ruins? And how did he find out about Ed?
1. Chapter 1: Lost

***I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist**

Chapter 1:

Despair, sick and deepening as he realized his solitude crept up on the boy. Coughing violently to clear his throat of phlegm and dust that had gathered in his lungs he tasted copper on his lips, and felt the raised marks where his teeth had bitten through.

_Brother?_ He inwardly shouted. To do anything else other than think hurt like a sonofabitch. _Brother?_

Where was he? The last thing he remembered was putting his hands unhesitatingly to the Transmutaion circle and glancing quickly at Edward. What he didn't remember was being naked and alone in what he could only consider a courtyard of some long forgotten palace.

_Edward? Brother! Help…. Please…._

Al gritted his teeth together and managed to pull himself into a vaguely sitting position, despite the pain. His hands were shaking, almost like he'd gone without eating for years. But that couldn't be right…. He'd eaten before they did the transmutation. Al swallowed back a cry of pain as his joints moved. Even they felt like they hadn't been moved in decades. What the hell?

"Brother?" he managed to whisper through gritted teeth. "Where are you?" Al couldn't help the tears that formed in his eyes. Why should he be sad? Edward wouldn't leave him…. Edward must just be in another part of town.

Alphonse considered standing up, throwing away his embarrassment about being nude…. The city at least _seemed_ empty, and going to find Ed. If only his joints and bones would hold himself up!

His resolve was simple, he _was_ going to get up, and he _definitely _was going to find Ed and lecture him to never leave him alone. That was until the scream echoed out from a building on a cliff, giving a birds eye view of a woman being devoured by a enormous monster.

Alphonse Elric had experienced fear, had been at the hands of death on Teachers island, but this- this was different. All of his cells screamed to run, his brain surged on and screamed for him to move, run – find Ed and get the hell out of this place! Had the transmutation gone wrong? Horribly and disastrously wrong? Was this hell? Al scurried backwards as fast and as far as his aching muscles and body would allow him, into the shadows of a building that loomed over the courtyard.

"Edward…." Al couldn't quite place why he said what passed through his lips, or why it was whimpered, but alas it was, "don't leave me…. _Please…._" 

The military was in uproar. With the recent news of the Fuehrer dead, and two military personnel on his front porch, bleeding profusely with the body of his child laid beside them, the country was eager for leadership.

In the throws of this hysteria only a select few knew the truth. And these select few didn't give a rats ass about who the hell was in charge, they cared for what had happened to the Elrics.

Izumi Curtis was one such person. What had happened to her students? Stuck in a semi demolished military office a day and a half after the whole ordeal and with Lieutenant Ross she racked her brain for any clue of where they would be.

"We've got to find them…" she covered her face with her hands, exhausted and in pain from all the chaos. "Who knows what kind of trouble they've gotten into?" this was said to no one in particular, though Ross did catch it.

"Where would they be though?" she looked at the boys' teacher. Her thoughts were interrupted however, when the door burst open to reveal Armstrong and next to him a petite pink and brown haired girl, cradling an infant.

"Major!" Lieutenant Ross snapped to attention. "Any word on the Elric brothers location?"

Armstrong did a very uncharacteristic sigh and ushered the girl forward.

"You," he looked softly at Izumi as his baritone voice echoed throughout the silent room, "You were the Elric brothers teacher?" he extended his large hand to Teacher, silently waiting for a handshake that never came.

"Were? Huh… I guess that explains it all." A bitter smile played her lips. "They were so close… so young…"

"So Edward didn't come back?" the girl- woman, Izumi corrected herself gently rocked her whimpering baby whilst looking anxious at the same time.

The glances and stares she got withdrew a stammered out explanation.

"He only said that-that he was going to dismantle that place-then I assumed he'd just come back up. I mean- after what happened to Al-"

The stares increased and all too soon Teacher stood, glaring coldly at the woman.

"I want to know how you know Edward and Alphonse. But before that I want you to take me where you left them." The words were meant to bite into her. How dare she leave Ed alone, especially if Al had-

_People respond better with kindness most of the time Izumi,_ her husband, Sig's words echoed in her mind. It was something he'd said in passing sometime when she was hunting her miscreant students down. "Please…" she trailed off in passing.

"I'm Rose…Edward…Edward… he…." She bit her lip and swallowed, finally looking at Izumi. "he was injured, Alphonse saved him. He used the philosophers stone." Izumi looked on incredulously.

"The philosophers stone?"

"You've no doubt heard of what happened in Liore?" Armstrong began, his deep voice booming, "As fate would have it Alphonse was bonded to the philosophers stone." Sitting down on the rubble filled ground Armstrong seemed to lose all the strength he possessed.

"I see." Teacher turned to the girl. "Rose, was it? Ed, he was badly injured, wasn't he?"

Rose nodded grimly. "Alphonse felt him and said that he was cold by the time we got to his side…" she cradled the child tighter, "That was when Al… he used himself to bring Ed back. Afterwards Ed said he wanted to destroy the place."

Izumi swallowed, remembering the two kids who used to beg her to teach them more. _God, can things ever go back to that?_ She thought bitterly. The very thing that was hope for them ended up killing both… _how ironic…_ "Do you remember where you all were?" she stood up slowly.

"Yes." Rose sniffed. "I thought he came back…"

_Damn her for leaving Ed alone down there. He'd try to bring Alphonse back… but would he succeed?_ Flashes after this thought flooded Izumi's mind. Edward, bleeding out on an alien floor, Ed, mangled and destined to die on the way to a hospital… Ed and Al, in twisted, decayed forms that went against the flow of nature. "Take me there."

"You're going after them?" Ross breathed. "But we don't even know if they're alive!"

"No- _we're _going after them." Teacher glared at all the military personnel she could lay her eyes on. "You asses got them into this mess partly, so now you're going to help drag them back part of the way. And honestly, Ed succeeded in pulling his brother's soul out once, it'd be too risky to leave him down there if he succeeded or failed." She began to walk, measured, even paces that would cover more ground. There was no time to loose, her boys were in danger. And even if they were…. She had to see for herself.


	2. Chapter 2: Found

Chapter 2:

Al was lost, alone. And his body was growing weaker. His hair fell raggedly around his back and it felt greasy and gritty to the touch, while his body felt much the same. Where the hell was he?

"Brother…" he whispered, his eyes closing, "Ed… _please…_" because he knew he was running out of time. 

"Your sure this is where you left them!" Izumi barked, feeling the open breeze that came from the underground tunnel. It'd taken another precious day to get here in a hurry, and now the stars shone lazily through windows of the damnable night.

"Yeah, this is where I came out from." Rose back peddled, "Please… don't make me go back." Izumi grinded her teeth from a nasty retort.

"Okay, Big Guy!" she snapped to Armstrong, "You're an alchemist right?" because she needed people who could _move_, who could be able to look at whatever was down there rationally. With Armstrong nodding she began walking down the steps. "You're with me! Got it? Good!" Armstrong walked, following 'Teacher' who held a torch.

Everything was in shambles. The colonel and first lieutenant were in a hospital from what he could gather, in an I.C.U ward that catered especially to burns and 'severe gashes and other wounds'. And then there were the Elrics. They were just MIA plain and simple. Although… could they really be counted as such? They'd flat out told the military to fuck itself and had left.

As Armstrong crouched down the steps, quickly following Izumi he couldn't help but think of what _might _have happened to Ed and Al.

"So you think they're alive?" he silently queried.

"I'd rather see for myself if they aren't…" Izumi murmured to herself, "and they don't deserve to be buried in this hell hole."

"So if they are…" Armstrong felt tears forming in his eyes. "Do you intend to bring them back?" Izumi nodded.

"Don't think about that just yet. It is possible, remember, we _are _dealing with the Elrics." She tried an unconvincing smile.

It wasn't until Izumi saw the soft light through the darkness that she quickened her pace. The moment of truth, were they dead or alive? Eventually breaking out into as much of a run as her ruined body would allow she left Armstrong in the dust to emerge on a rocky cliff. Towering above a vast city…. With no birds eye views…

"Hell!" she yelled, hoping to god if they were alive down here they would come up, hear, yell back.

"Ms." Armstrong began, putting a hand on her shoulder, "look." He gestured to an area of severe collapse and decay. "From past experience I would say that's where the Elrics were…"

"Are." She corrected, beginning the task of picking a careful way down the rocky terrain. "We've got to hurry, we've wasted enough time already." Armstrong hurried beside her- she was right- if they were indeed alive- they didn't have much time left.

Alphonse shivered and tried to cover up his body the best he could from the cold draft. Every bump on his skin hurt worse than it should, and every sound made his body beg him to flee.

Opening his eyes for half a minuet he remembered something that seemed important. A yell, and now…. Footsteps that echoed and made the floor beneath him tremble softly with them. The monster… it was coming for him. Just like on Teachers Island…. Only this time, he couldn't run away-couldn't move.

"Alphonse?" a short, hurt voice whispered. Opening his eyes again he looked at a form. A human shape running towards him, picking up his head, whispering, "Alphonse!" then garbled commands- no- orders. It could only be one person. Only one person in the entire world would do this for him – would act like this.

"Edward?" Al opened his eyes wider. "Edward…. You came…" his voice was no more than a whisper, but he was too tired to try anything louder. "knew yu'd get the monster away…."

"Alphonse? Alphonse keep talking! What monster?" but Al reeled away, and with a feeling of falling he passed into darkness.

"Help me get him up!" Izumi glanced around for anything suspicious, then fully took in the room. An unfamiliar transmutation circle, blood – primal and feral, and probably Ed's – and Al.

"Alphonse?" Armstrong felt the tears brimming and put a hand to his head for a moment. _He's alive, _he thought, though Ed wasn't it hadn't been in vain. "Izumi… do you think that Edward is also-"

"He succeeded." She pulled the brown jacket she'd been given for shock at the military around Al's body, noting how undernourished he was. "I don't think we'll find Ed here." She sighed. _At least it wasn't in vain…_ "Let's go." Placing her arms under her students upper torso and lower legs she hefted him up.

"I can carry him-" Armstrong began, ceasing when he truly saw the look on her face. Lament, grief, and the utter feeling of being lost.

"Thank you for the offer, but-" _I got them into this._ Izumi swallowed hard. Keeping a slower, less unsteady pace she ignored the stress on her arms (which wasn't much thanks to Al's current condition) and kept walking.

Left foot, Right foot, on and on. Even though she tried to stop her brain from thinking back on Ed it didn't help.

"_We're gonna train, Al!"_ he'd said on the way to her house. "_She probably has a huge laboratory and stuff!"_ and Al had just nodded enthusiastically.

Then a newer, fresher memory dug itself up. _Ed and her were sitting on a bench, waiting for Al to come from someplace, she couldn't remember. _

"_Teacher?" he'd asked, flipping a rock across the street. "Promise me you won't tell Al what I'm gonna tell you?" she'd nodded, "I know the path we're taking is dangerous… already we've almost gotten killed multiple times…." She sighed looking at him. Expecting him to say he was exhausted, that he wanted to give up, "And I want to know that if I get killed someone will take care of Al for me." Izumi smiled, he really had to ask that? "I want him to be happy, y'know? For someone to stay up with him all night and travel with him…." Ed swallowed hard and pushed his voice to deepen. "I want him to be happy, even if he's still stuck in that suit!" _

"I will Ed…" she murmured, drawing a concerned look from Armstrong, "I will…" she looked down at Al and smiled sadly. He'd called for Ed…


	3. Chapter 3: About Al

Chapter 3:

Major Armstrong walked along the white hospital halls anxiously. Getting Alphonse Elric out: no problem, getting him to a hospital quickly enough: problem. The poor kid had been dragged off, screaming for Ed, he probably didn't even remember what had happened down there.

With that thought, Armstrong turned instead down a dimly lit hall and made his way into a room labeled 236. Two almost identical beds were on opposite sides, the only difference however, was one filled with a male and one with a female.

"Major," a feminine voice rose up to reveal Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye staring at him intently. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes." Armstrong briefly glanced over to where the colonel was sitting up, looking half baked due to the morphine and with a makeshift eye patch covering his left eye. "It's the Elric brothers." Riza's head snapped up.

"What happened to them?" Hawkeye swallowed hard and thought back to when her and the colonel had picked Ed up on the side of the road, going to rescue Al.

"It seems Edward did find Alphonse." Armstrong sat awkwardly in a visitors chair, his huge body making the chair's joints creak and threaten to give out. "Apparently there was a fight that left Edward…" Armstrong's eyes glazed over.

"Alphonse tried it, didn't he?" Colonel Mustang asked, "Human transmutation, it would only make sense because he was the philosophers stone…"

"He succeeded," Armstrong put his head in his hands and said even softer, "And then Ed brought him back."

The room was silent. Two kids. The Elrics. The: 'Ed is going on a rampage and Al is stopping him' duo. Gone. Dead.

"So Alphonse is…" Hawkeye looked down at the sheets.

"Yes. Their teacher found him and we brought him here." Armstrong swallowed. "It really is a pity that for all their efforts-"

"Only one was brought back." Mustang supplied, also looking down. The last, most cruelest thing the military had done was to set those boys on a path of destruction. For Alphonse to come back in his original body it required Ed to die… twice.

The silence was filled with memories. Segments that had Ed yelling at 'Colonel Bastard' and Alphonse simply standing outside; Ed not reporting for duty, not doing as he was told… Ed _alive_…

"How is Alphonse handling it?" Mustang asked, looking blearily up at Armstrong.

"He seems to not remember…" Armstrong sighed. "He was delusional and called his teacher Ed the whole time he was conscious."

Another ensuing silence, then finally, controlled and tight, Armstrong muttered, "The doctors don't know if…"

"Who's with him?" they seemed to speak in unison.

"Their teacher."


	4. Chapter 4: About Ed

Chapter 4:

It was cold. It was also dark, forlorn, and smelled strongly of antiseptic and death.

_But how should I know what death smells like?_ The boy felt the cool linens under his finger tips and shut his eyes tighter. _That's right… mom…_ vague images of his mom, lying face down with labored breathing, dying in bed, smelling the oil that was sprayed on her body before the funeral to cease the aroma of rot and decay. _Mom!_ Hands pressed down onto the transmutation circle as Ed nodded cockily at him. _What's gone wrong?_

_AL!_ Suddenly Alphonse was sitting up, the world spinning around him while the ringing of Ed's voice chimed within his ears.

"Alphonse?" a woman sat next to the white bed in a pearl white chair.

"Who-?" Al chocked as his dry throat contracted, "Teacher?" it came out no more as a whisper but it was there. "Teacher- where's Ed?" Alphonse made to escape the confines of the tightly bound sheets and warm bed. "Where is he!" Al began to get mad, mad at Ed for leaving him in the first place, mad at Ed for taking him here and bringing Teacher along, furious at Ed for not being here to tell him about what happened at the transmutation. "I've got to give him a piece of my mind!"

Teachers face went from sympathetic to horrified. He didn't remember… he didn't remember what happened to Ed, what happened down _there_.

"Alphonse…" she began quietly, taking his gaunt hand in hers like she had when he was a child. Rubbing it gently she gently avoided the catheters that kept water running to his system along with nutrients. _Should I tell him?_ Izumi inwardly lamented, _Anything could set back his recovery… but it would be to cruel… _"What do you remember?" up, down, up, down; over and over again her hand gently caressed his in a maternal way.

"I-I can't tell you-"

"Yes, you can…" she smiled sadly at him. "No one will know other than me, you, and Ed…" she added Ed because it felt wrong not to include his name…

So Al spilled the metaphorical beans. He quietly recited to Teacher about their plan to get mom back, cried as he informed her that he couldn't remember past putting his hands to the transmutation circle that Ed had drawn with a fresh bar of chalk. And this was where Teacher finally realized that Alphonse Elric had no memory of the past years spent with Edward, traveling, living, finding the stone…

"I'm so sorry Al…" she smiled sadly at his look of confusion.

"Where is brother?" Al looked stiffly towards the door, "Teacher… answer me…" Al felt the tears prickling his skin, his blood shot eyes. "What went wrong?"

Izumi balked at this. Common sense told her to tell Al, he had been through to much to _not _be told… but on the other hand, to lose his only family…

"Alphonse," she breathed in, "you don't remember anything about the last few years?" how did you break this information to a child of twelve?

His eyes went wide, "Years?" horror went through his voice.

"The plan to bring your mother back was unsuccessful…" and Izumi began to tell the Elrics fate. Admitting the parts she didn't know, and gently informing him of his brothers fate. "He saved you Al." she concluded softly. "He gave you your body back."

"I DIDN'T WANT IT BACK!" Al screeched, his thin frame shaking as his body produced an unearthly scream. "HE CAN'T LEAVE ME ALONE! HE'S AN IDIOT! HE'S-" his body was sent into a coughing spasm that left him breathless and with his teacher gently laying him back down. "He's gone- isn't he?" Al whispered, closing his tear filled eyes against the harsh hospital lights. "He left me alone…"

"He didn't leave you alone." Teacher gently supplied. "He didn't want to at least. And I know that it seems like it now that he did it selfishly…" her fingers clenched as she realized that Ed _was_ gone… dead in all probability, and left behind a brother…

So here she was, consoling Al as he mourned his brother, unsure of how to proceed. Should they keep going, so soon? Or should they stand still for just a few moments longer? 

Things were going to slow for Alphonse. It'd been two days since he'd found out about Ed, and now he was stuck in limbo. Three square meals a day, all with limited amounts of meat, vegetables, and fruits, and to top it all off… milk; of all the things to bring back memories, milk. _Ed hates milk_… Al seemed to remind himself, momentarily forgetting that Ed wasn't here anymore.

Physical therapy was a trick and a half too. Stretching his shriveled limbs again and again, followed by learning how to walk and grasp things properly.

"Teacher?" Al asked, sitting up in bed slowly. "What happened to all those people… who helped us?" because he needed to know. He had to know every moment of him and brother. Of what they'd fought for. Of the good they'd supposedly done.

It took Izumi a moment to consider this. Ever since he'd learned about Ed, Al had become distant, almost determined about something.

"I do not know…" she slumped in her chair, a most unusual sight for Al who was used to the strong woman never showing weakness. "After everything happened I really didn't inquire too much about them. I was more worried about you two." Her voice cracked as she said two.

"I'd like to ask them… meet them again…" he didn't need to clarify on what he was going to ask them. Izumi knew, Ed. He wanted something to grasp onto, something to cling to, another memory, anything and everything.

"I'll try Al, 'kay?"

"Okay." Alphonse settled back down.


	5. Chapter 5: Introductions

Chapter 5: Introductions

***I apologize in advance, turns out my page breaks were not functioning like they should be! Ahh well….**

Four days. If what Armstrong had said had been dead on than Alphonse had been in the same hospital as them for four days.

"Then why hasn't he tried to contact us?" Mustang muttered, Hawkeye giving him a stern glare.

"He lost his brother sir. I don't exactly believe that he's going to come over for a little chat." She looked at her commanding officer and then to the door. "It's sad, y'know? About Edward…"

Roy Mustang paused for a moment and then finished, "Yeah… I know."

They stayed silent for a few moments, the only interruption being at the very end as footsteps collided with the floor in a very military like way.

"That's probably the court martial." Riza Hawkeye muttered, lowering her voice and eyes to the floor by her bed.

"Then we best be ready to leave." Mustang went to get up only to be brought back down by a sudden pain in his skull. "You know what? To hell with them." Clutching the eye patch sullenly he gasped for air as his body racked itself with pain.

"Yes sir…" Hawkeye tensed unconsciously as the door clicked open to reveal a woman with what Riza could only describe as a very un-military look.

"I take it you two are the dogs?" contempt was lodged in her voice, over the demanding tone.

"Wow… a whole four days since someone has thrown _that_ insult to us." Mustang groaned, closing his remaining eye in weariness.

"Yes…" Hawkeye judged any threat the woman could throw at them.

"You know Alphonse?" the woman's face never moved from its stony gaze.

"How is he?" both of the military personnel shot up, Mustang with a pronounced look of dizziness about him, and Hawkeye with a sharp, piercing look.

"He's…. less than fine, but not bad." Izumi limited the conversation at that. "He… he wants to ask you two about Ed." She seemed to grow sympathetic. "You see he-he doesn't remember what happened. Any of it. His and Ed's journey, what happened down there…" she eased herself into the creaking chair which Armstrong had sat in not so long before. "Believe me when I say this, but I normally wouldn't even ask you people to do anything for me… but I'm begging you two now." Her onyx eyes met Mustang's and Hawkeye's, "Please tell him only what you can. Don't embellish anything."

"We never would have." Riza stated simply, "What makes you think we would have?" a predator like stare emerged from her amber eyes.

"Many people, after loosing an acquaintance, would glorify him. Ed wouldn't want that… well… not in this case. And Alphonse doesn't need it. He needs a memory of his _brother_ not a hero." Standing up Izumi opened the door, glancing back quickly.

"I take it I can bring Al by tomorrow? About this time?"

"Yes." In unison the simple word echoed from their mouths, leaving only the click of the door shutting as a punctuation.

"I'm taking it that that was their teacher?" Riza looked to Mustang.

"Guess now we know where Ed gets his good people skills from." Mustang opened his eye again and stared at Hawkeye. "He doesn't remember? Anything?"

"I know Colonel… its cruel… to be through so much, only to have another person tell you about it."

"True enough, Lieutenant. True enough…"

Al tried to rush his body with adrenaline. Tried desperately to keep his body awake and responsive for just a while longer.

"Alphonse," Teacher mused to him, gently rolling the chair down the hall and towards the "dog's room", "Keep in mind you don't have to do this yet." Al lifted his face to a gentle smile and slumped in his chair.

"I want to Teacher." Al resisted sleep and tried to remember what Ed's last words to him had been.

"_Speaking of disgusting cow juice, remind me to pick up some powdered calcium." _No, those hadn't been Ed's last words… _Then what were they?_ Al fought to remember.

"Alphonse?" he scrunched up his face and only vaugly realized that his eyes had closed.

"_Here we go Al!" _No… what had they been?

"Alphonse we're here." Al swallowed against a lump in his throat and quickly opened his eyes only to see a door with the number 236 written in gold on the front.

"Oh…" Al gripped the chair's arm rests as quickly as he could, feeling the wood bite into his tender skin.

"Are you feeling okay?" Teacher asked, placing a cool hand on his forehead. "You feel a little warm."

"I'm fine Teacher… besides, I'm always running a fever these days." Al smiled gratefully as she opened the door and pushed him inside.

Two people sat in their beds, upright, one complaining about an eye patch and the other with a hand on her forehead, eyes closed wearily.

"Here we are." Teacher slid Al in-between the two beds, so his neck wouldn't have to turn so much. That had been a major concern as of late. His muscles were so deteriorated that the doctors could hardly do any therapy until they were strong enough again.

"Hello Alphonse," Riza Hawkeye looked up at Al, smiling kindly. Suddenly Al felt a chill that shattered his spine and made him want to run.

"Hey, Al." Roy Mustang looked at him with a half-hearted grin.

"Teacher," Al tugged her sleeve like he had as a child and smiled grimly. "Can I have a few moments alone with them?"

Izumi stared at Al, then at the other two. "I'll be outside the door. Call me if you need anything… okay Al?" she smiled as she left, confident she was doing the right thing.

"I'm sorry for intruding," Al looked down at his lap, "But I have to know what me and brother did. I have to know…"

Mustang and Hawkeye looked to each other, then finally to Alphonse Elric.

"We understand Alphonse." Riza smiled, then nodded in welcoming, "I'm First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye."

"And I'm Colonel Roy Mustang. Okay Alphonse," he finished, "Tell us where you want to start."


	6. Chapter 6: Stories

Chapter 6:

"Let's start with how you two know us." Al's voice surprised the military personnel, it was no more than a hoarse whisper that had them straining to hear him.

"We were ordered to find the supposed 'gifted' alchemist who lived in Risenbool." Mustang paused. "When we got to your house and saw that you two had preformed a human transmutation we immediately searched and found you." His eyes looked directly into Al's for a long while. "I had no idea that you two were children. Had I known what would happen I wouldn't have suggested the military to Edward at all." Mustang looked down at his covered feet for a moment and finally at Al's malnourished body.

"Knowing brother he would've done it anyway." Al remarked with a hint of humor.

Mustang and Hawkeye each gave a half hearted grin to Alphonse. "Yes, he would have Al." Riza sighed. "You two were really quite the handful."

"I remember one time Edward decided that the Colonel needed to be taught a lesson so challenged him to a fight." Hawkeye looked over at her boss and then back to Al. "He'll never admit it," her eyes shifted to Mustang, "But Ed would've kicked his ass had they not been stopped by the higher ups." Al laughed, a somewhat hoarse sound that at first had made the two military personnel cringe.

Over the next hour the three laughed and smiled, retold old tales of what had gone on the past few years and then grew silent as they realized that Ed was gone.

"Colonel Mustang? Lieutenant Hawkeye?"

"Yes Alphonse?"

"Did brother say anything to you… y'know… before?"

"The last time we saw Ed was when we gave him a lift. The military was going to hell and back, Edward was looking for you and we were going to stop the Homunculus Pride." Mustang paused, then closed his remaining eye.

"He just told us that he'd see us around." Hawkeye finished. "I'm sorry Alphonse." With a start his head snapped up from his lap to look at her. Eye to eye she came clean, "We should have followed him."

They stayed like that for a long moment. Brown eyes met gold as Alphonse Elric fought hard against blame.

"But there's no guarantee that being there would have saved brother." He meant to say more, to say something heroic like Ed would've done, but before he could utter another sound a grey haired, older-than-the-dinosaurs-lady-but-you'd-never-admit-that-to-her-face barged in, pipe hanging out of her mouth.

"Al?" disbelief crossed her face. "I'm sorry." Short and to the point. That was the Granny Pinako Al knew.

"Pinako!" it wasn't a cry of joy, more like one of gratitude. She'd raised him and Ed, she knew, she'd understand. Al flung himself out of the chair and clung to her apron, swallowing back tears and simply inhaling her scent. She smelled like home, like Risenbool, she smelled of oil and gears and stew, and _automail_.

"Good to see you to Al-" she hesitated when she saw his face. "Al?" Hawkeye and Mustang were up in a second, hurrying over to where Al's frail body had crumbled.

"Al?" three crys echoed out, following Granny's hurried orders.

"You!" she barked, pointing to Mustang, "Go get a nurse!"

"But-!" Mustang protested, a few steps he was fine, any more than that and his depth perception caused him to misplace his feet and fall.

"I don't care! Now get! And you!" she motioned at Riza who came over, "Help me get him into a bed."

"What's wrong with him?" Hawkeye asked, after Al was tucked in to her bed, his eyes opened and unfocused.

"Shock, concussion, fatigue, take your pick." Hawkeye stared at the woman for a moment.

"You were the grandmother, right?" At Granny's blank stare she clarified, "When we came to your house to find Ed." The realization hit her as memories flooded back.

"Yup. Can I ask you a question?" Hawkeye nodded, "did they ever find his body?"

A brief moment passed.

"No. I'm betting that it was used up in the transmutation." Riza swallowed, "Excuse me, I'm going to go round up the Colonel and the doctor he was supposed to bring." Pinako smiled at the irritation in her voice.


	7. Chapter 7: Coffee break

Chapter 7:

* **Lol, so I noticed a ****BIG ****plot hole and did a very lame dismount on it. So if you were wondering where the automail line was heading… here it is! **

Pinnako had been sitting with Al for well over an hour. Poor kid. As old as she was she'd been through her share of heartbreaks (in her case _she _being the main cause) and deaths. Her son and his wife; old poker buddies that simply passed away in old age, the list went on. But she knew it got better, somehow, when everything was said and done it got better.

And now Al would have to face that alone.

She couldn't believe that the boys hadn't seen their share of death. Some of the stories that Ed had told her were…. Downright gruesome, but Al had lost Ed, had lost his entire blood related family. Pinnako stood and stretched her muscles, taking a long moment to glance sympathetically at Alphonse.

Coffee, coffee sounded good, sounded like something she should do. With quick steps lest she change her mind, she exited the room and shut the door behind her. The two dogs had left, simply stating that they would be back to check on Al, and the woman she recognized as their teacher was still seated outside the door, a pensive look on her face, and her eyes at half-mast.

"I'm going to grab a cup of coffee, you want any?" blunt and to the point.

Teacher looked up at her and then back down. "How can you think of coffee at a time like this?" she met Pinnakko's eyes and tried to sum up the woman.

"Maybe it's just my old age, and maybe it's just my profession." Pinnako looked at Izumi for a long time and sighed. "Y'know, when a person comes in for automail it's the same principle. You can't help. They knew the risks, they knew that there would be pain," she smiled and continued walking, "You have to think methodically for you and the patient or you'll both end up wallowing in self-pity for ever, and never move on and keep living." With a wave of her hand back at Izumi she called, "I'll get you a cup too."

Izumi stared at the retreating back, swallowing as she fought against fear. _Those boys are stronger than they look Izumi,_ Sig had said once, _they'll fight to the end  
><em>

* * *

><p>Al couldn't breathe, couldn't seem to get enough air. Automail. That brought back memories. Ed occasionally smelled like oil and copper gears after they played with Winry. All that was gone now. No more playing by the river or sparring with Teacher. He was free to do all those things; but not Ed. And Ed was partly the reason for doing all those things again and again.<p>

It was stupid, he knew, to lay here silently and be unresponsive. Alphonse turned on his side, pulling at the IV's and curled into a ball.

"I wanna go back to Risenbool. Back to Ed, and Winry, and Granny. Back home." The mantra was whispered over and over again as Al cried softly in-between the delicate words. With his eyes shut and breathing soft, he didn't notice the door cracked, and Teacher closing her eyes as his chanting continued.

"I know Al," she whispered, her voice almost inaudible, "I know."


	8. Chapter 8: Automail and Wrath

Chapter 8:

Two Days later:

Izumi Curtis was in a bind. Looking up at the exceedingly tall Major Armstrong she felt anger and bile mix in her throat.

"What do you mean there was another kid with the girl?" Izumi looked over to

Rose and growled deeply in her throat. "Why didn't you say something?" the girl flinched as Izumi made to grab her.

"Not now Izumi." Sig's hand came down to grasp her shoulder and gently ease her tensed hand downwards.

"You had a hurt child in your care and only thought of your own?" she was livid.

"I tried to help, we-we just got to the surface when he ran-"

"And you didn't tell us! If he was as hurt as you said he was- then you just let him run free? Sorry, hobble free-!"

"Izumi!" with a sharp look she stared Sig down and bit back a scream of frustration. Sig knew better though, he knew his wife's feelings towards children. On one hand she was more compassionate to them; on the other hand she often expected more from a child than was possible in some cases.

"I'm sorry…" Rose lowered her gaze as Armstrong put a huge hand to her shoulder.

"It's all right Ms. Izumi," Armstrong began softly, "When I heard Ms. Rose's story I began to search." His mustache quivered with every movement of his lips. "Me and some peers found him in a nearby woods by HQ." Izumi cringed inwardly. Peers meant dogs, meant terror for the poor kid.

"And where is he now?" it was asked as another source of information as to what happened to Ed.

Alex Louis Armstrong paused for a long moment, unsure of what to tell her. "We thought, considering what he was, it was in his interest to put him up with the Rockbell's. He was missing two limbs and we felt it best that they put automail to use."

Izumi blanched, "When you say 'what he was' you mean a homunculus?" when his head nodded her stomach dropped to the floor. Surely it couldn't be?

Armstrong pondered for a moment at the odd look crossing her face, then turned to take Rose back to her apartment.

"Wait Major," he turned to see her looking miserably down at the floor, "where are the other two. The ones who Alphonse talked to?" she was asking only because she was sure that they would've helped him search for the kid-homunculus, because they might have some information the kid spewed about Ed.

"After killing the homunculus who looked like the Fuhur they're facing an investigation. If found guilty they'll most likely be executed, if found not guilty they'll probably be put on probation for a few months." Armstrong sighed dramatically.

"Lose-lose, huh?" she had a grim undertone of humor etched in her voice.

"It seems so." And he walked out, leaving Izumi Curtis to collapse on a bench outside of Al's room.

"You think it's him?" Sig asked, keeling down below her.

"There's only one homunculus I know of that's both a child and has two appendages that were stolen from a living person." She put her head in her hands. "Giving it-him new limbs… it seems awful cruel…"

Sig didn't bother to ask why, he knew the possible outcome. "He might surprise you… people often do." Izumi looked at him and smiled gently.

"I don't want to end up killing my child." She patted his arm and looked to Al's closed door. Still asleep, still recuperating mentally… still on the edge of insanity…. Still not completely Al yet.

* * *

><p>Pinnako Rockbell looked sternly at her granddaughter and sighed.<p>

"_You don't have to put those on him," Pinnako had stated, "We've got plenty of older models we can use." _

"_It's top of the line though… and besides, what's the use now?" Winry sighed heavily, tears on the verge of pouring out. Ever since Ed had gone she'd become determined to get rid of the automail she'd built him. _

And now here they were. A dusty, dimly lit hotel room with second rate equipment and a crying child who occasionally cursed them for all eternity or cried for his mother. She'd dealt with second rate equipment and harsh medical conditions before. Once in Rush Valley there'd been a man who had needed his automail port reconnected out in the desert after an accident had stripped him of it. There she'd had no antibiotics or pain relievers. And this was not that different.

They could've taken him back home with them, but Alphonse was here and they'd both agreed on the fact that they couldn't leave him, not for a simple charity case.

"I'm ready on this side." Winry's voice shook and Pinnako looked up. Grabbing a metal plate on the table next to her she passed it over and watched as Winry raised it to the boy's exposed knee joint.

"I'm ready here to." Granny pressed the plate to the boy's flesh and with a sharp jolt twisted it into place between the ball of the shoulder joint and the copper wires that connected it to the plate. With her capable granddaughter working diligently on his leg she focused more on her job, and worried less about Winry's.

The boy screamed, to say it simply. His sharpened teeth grated against the gag that held his mouth shut. In the public place that was necessary.

"Done." Pinako stepped back to briefly admire the work. Ports were the hardest hurdle; from here it was all smooth sailing. "You?" Winry stepped back with a sympathetic glance at the boy.

They'd not so much as _looked_ at the boy's foot. The Major had said that he was a homunculus named Wrath, and the young girl who'd been with him, Rose, had said that Ed had wanted him saved. So they did it for Ed, not for anyone else in the world. And definitely not for the boy laying before them.

"So… how do think Alphonse is doing?" Winry sat on the floor while her grandmother sat in a chair by the bed, patting the moaning kid's head in remembrance for a shrimp sized little brat that had done this same exact thing.

"I think he's doing just about as fine as the patient." Pinako sighed, her pipe listing in the corner of her mouth. "I talked to his doctor a few days ago and they said he'll be able to be released in a matter of days now."

"With how he looks?" Winry gasped, she'd seen Al for the first time in only two days ago and had been appalled that he was considered stable. His ribs and spine jutted out of his body, and his eyes lacked the healthy shine that had always been there.

"It's better than what it was." Pinako smiled gently at her granddaughter and then felt the shoulder port. "Hmmm, little bit of heat in this one…. We'll probably need to pick up some oil and coolant for the metal."

Winry nodded, mentally keeping the list tucked away for later. After a long moment she spoke, more to herself than to her dear granny. "It's hard to believe isn't it? Ed's gone… never coming back." Her voice cracked and echoed within her throat. "Just the other day I thought, 'when I get to Central I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!'…. but I can't…." Pinako allowed Winry to cry this time, this procedure.

"_Never weep, never bond with a patient and it makes it that much easier to do automail attachment." She'd said one time to the crying ten year old. "People don't come to me for compassion and to hold a hand. They come here to get a new outlook on life and have the right limbs to do everyday things."_

"_If you're so harsh than why do they come?" Winry managed to sob out_, _drying her eyes with her apron. _

"_Because I guarantee them to get it done right, quick, and as cheap as I can be." She smiled at Winry, then put a hand on her head, "Kid, one of the things you've got to learn is to treat people like people. Let them fight their own battles." _

Of course, then Ed had gotten the surgery and Pinako Rockbell had broken her own rules. She'd occasionally be more sympathetic to him than she was to other patients, sometimes when he was dozing and in pain she'd read to him like she had when she was babysitting him and Al. She liked to think that it had comforted him, that she'd treated him just like she would if Winry ever got automail for some reason.

And now Pinako felt herself occasionally lending little reassurances to Wrath… but in her mind, she tried to picture him as Ed… if only for a little while longer.


	9. Chapter 9: Sorting

Chapter 9:

First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye was sitting, facing the Colonel. Eying him for the tiniest hint of rebellion and or stupidity (lest his mouth ruin the bail they'd been let out on) and cleared her throat.

"Lieutenant?" he asked, his hand going to his burning head. _Damn_, he cursed inwardly, _Lights 'er all too bright and the chairs like sitting on a pointed rock_.

"Sir?" she cocked her head slightly and distantly thought of her dog. Fuery would feed him, probably had by now. Hayate liked being fed on a schedule…

"You cleared your throat?"

"Just thinking sir, that's all." She lowered her head and tried to meet his eye.

"You're wondering why we…" he paused and jerked his head up, pivoting it to get a good look for the guard. When seeing none he continued, "why we didn't kill Wrath?" he met her eyes and for a split second she smiled wryly.

"No sir, I was just wondering why _you _didn't just fry him."

Mustang found himself shivering at her words. Damn, Hawkeye could be cold and plain lethal when she wanted to be. Then again, as Mustang looked back in the past, that seemed to be indicative of most people in her branch.

"You heard what the girl said." He ran a hand hap hazardley through his hair and continued, "It was a final request from Fullmetal."

She looked downwards. "I know…" she kept a silence drawn out, hoping to find a way to say this easily, "Sir?"

"Yes Hawkeye?" she almost cringed when he said her last name. Saying it usually meant that shit was hitting the fan and to be prepared. It was either that or a name of endearment.

"For a moment… well, the entire time we were escorting him to the Rockbells, I kept waiting for the opportunity to put a bullet in his head." Regardless if he was a child or not, regardless if he'd possibly killed Edward, regardless if it was Edward Elric's last wish.

"What stopped you?" she smiled timidly and looked into his one good eye.

"The Fullmetal Alchemist sir." And the smile faded, lost as the guard returned.

Prying the cell door open with a key he swung it back, an invitation to freedom for the hefty fine of 4100 cens a pop. Just enough to get out and recover, just enough to hopefully see Al off and offer condolences.

* * *

><p>Alphonse Elric stared numbly at the paper and then looked to Pinako.<p>

"Al I already told you you don't have to do this yet." She was trying to be nice and kind, trying to spare him the momentous decision.

"I told you I want to." He was sick of everyone saying that. Brother used to chastise him constantly for not being spur of the moment. Al didn't want anyone to baby him right now. He wanted to be left alone with Ed's memory and just dream. He wanted to pour over the alchemic texts that Ed had accumulated and memorize the writing. God help him, he wanted to transmute.

"Then here we are Mr. Elric… simply sign here." The military officer pointed to a spot that pointed out in big, bold letters: **Signature of next of kin.**

Scribbling his name down as vehemently as possible Alphonse looked up and then looked towards the box, filled to the brim with items.

"Would you like to have it now, or have it shipped back to your home?" the man never lost his pace as he made his way to the door and past a snarling Pinako.

Al stared at the man like he was stupid.

"Very well Mr. Elric. The military offers its condolences." Al looked at the box a final time, then at Pinako and at Teacher who had just entered, face livid with anger.

"Teacher, can you hand me the box?" Al smiled gently as Izumi picked it up and placed it on the bed, allowing Al to take his sweet time in procuring Ed's things. "Thank you." He looked down at his feet and felt his throat tighten. He was going home. Back to Risenbool, back to granny and Winry. He should be happy, he should be eager to get out of this place… but when he went back, left Central it would be without Ed.

Gently he removed the lid and threw it to the ground, gently he picked up the first item and laughed. It was an Alchemy book. Specifically it was one on mineral transmutation, and it looked old, used. Its spine was creased and bent with years of what Al assumed had been Ed reading. Sure he studied to, but Ed read these books for fun, for enjoyment, because they were easy to understand. He put the book in the first pile that mentally he'd labeled keep.

Next was a letter, it was sealed shut and the name on the outside bore the sloppy letters that spelled out Winry Rockbell. Alphonse considered opening it, taking in Ed's words, but the decent, honest part of him put it in a second pile that he could give it back to her when he saw her next. Toys upon toys came after that, little trinkets that Al eventually began to put aside, handing a few unique ones to Teacher and Pinako.

"Al, we couldn't possibly-" they'd protested, seeming to feel awkward as Al did this silently.

"Who are we kidding, brother would want you two to have this stuff. I mean, what am I gonna do with it?" he felt better about saying it out loud. Like he didn't have to hold on to every scrap of paper that came his way from Ed. And then came the hardest part. The books. If the trinkets had seemed numerous than that was nothing compared to the books. All neat and tidy, some still new and unread, they adorned the bottom and had Al scrambling to decide which ones to keep.

He wouldn't give up Alchemy, he already knew that. After training with Teacher and all the adventures people had filled him in on he couldn't stop.

"Here Teacher!" he smiled kindly at her and put three books on a pile, handing them over as his arms quivered with the new stress.

"Al?" she took the books, looking at each of the titles and smiling sadly at each one. " 'Easy Cooking volume 4.9' volume 5 and 6? Really Edward?" she looked at Al and smiled, "Your brothers taste…"

"Least they're something you can use around the house." He grinned, "I do remember that you constantly read those things." She smiled to see Al at least joking.

"And here Granny!" he opened the book and put the letter to Winry inside, then hefted it over to the short Pinako. "The letter on the inside is for Winry, but I think that Ed would like you to keep the book." He grinned at the title, "1,004 ways to fix automail at home, with everyday household products."

She smiled back, "Are you sure you want to give this away?"

"Sure! What would I do with it?" Al mused, "I guess he bought that to limit the amount of times he'd get yelled at by Winry."

Pinako smiled at his guess. It must've hurt him, to have lost all those years with Ed in one blow. And to be told by others about his brother. "I'll be sure to give it to her. And to employ the tips on patients." Without consciously thinking it her brain went back to the patient on her hotel bed, muttering in agony as Winry watched over his vitals. Yeah… maybe the book would come in handy.

Al grabbed the next book that was in the crate and opened it up.

**~Colonel Bastard needs to get a grip on his basic alchemy and quit daydreaming about his temp~**

Ed's writing greeted him on the dedication page and as he flipped the book over and read the title he could only laugh. **Secrets to success: an idiot's guide to diligently working. **He didn't know the cause for Ed buying the book, but he did remember something of the Colonel telling him how Ed always called him obscenities in public. Flipping a few more pages ahead he spotted little underlined parts of the text that could've applied to Ed.

**To have good employees a boss needs to be the best.** And off to the side would be written: _So get demoted Colonel._ Little remarks that Al was sure would've been hysterical to hear Ed say to the man's face. He placed the book with a slight hesitation on the nightstand. To give up something that Ed had done… that was so personal… it was a hard thing to do.

It was then that Al picked up the last book, looking at it with tears in his eyes he opened it to find photos that had been stuck inbetween the binding and pages, scribbled on with alchemic theories. It was as if Ed had made this in case his brother didn't have him anymore. Teacher and Pinako looked above his shaking form and smiled sadly as they saw the pictures. Ed and Al. Together, alive, and traveling. Quietly Izumi put her hand on Al's shoulder.

"It's okay Alphonse… it's okay."


	10. Chapter 10: Homeward bound

Chapter 10:

Alphonse watched as Granny Pinako packed the last of Ed's things that he had decided to keep in a box, then looked at the guests in his room. Teacher, her husband (who Al had never really talked to but got the impression that he, like Izumi, considered them part of the family), the Colonel, and Lieutenant Hawkeye all stood, looking at him with gazes of pity, sorrow, and happiness at his recovery.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye?" he asked, handing over a little trinket that he was sure Ed would want to have given away.

"Alphonse I couldn't possibly-" she protested, hands in the air until he glared her down.

"Take it. What am I going to do with it?" he smiled sadly and pressed it into her palm. "I'm sure brother would want you to have it." With a nod of thanks she glanced over to the Colonel, who had been strangely silent the entire time.

"Colonel?" Al pulled the business book out and debated whether or not to actually divulge Ed's …. Ramblings. "I don't know if brother intended for you to actually _read_ this, but I don't know what to do with it…" Al felt a blush come up as he thought about the lie. He'd struggled with himself to get rid of it. Something so personal that Ed had written, whether in anger or just joking around, it was all he had now. In the end he'd thought about the mental image of Edward being offended that he had given something that wasn't supposed to be given, and how irate he would've become.

"Al?" Mustang asked, glancing down at the book that lay obscured in Al's hands.

"See… I don't know why Ed bought this, but all I can think of is the picture of him giving it to you." Al tried to suppress the bittersweet grin that blossomed on his face, but to no avail.

Roy Mustangs eye widened for a moment as he held the book, then he groaned as he opened it up and saw the scribbles on the margins. "Why Edward? Why?" Hawkeye, looking up from the gift looked at her commanders and chuckled inwardly. Even dead and gone Ed still managed to get the last laugh. "Thank you Alphonse." He gave a short smile to him. "I appreciate this a lot." Al returned the smile.

"Well Al, are you ready?" Pinako hated to tear him away from the moment, but things needed to get done on the home front. That and Wrath had to be moved soon and put on exorcise regimes and that could not be done in a city where his kind was wanted.

"Yeah." Al smiled, "Thank you." Al kept eye contact with the military dogs and then looked down, his face easing into a passive look.

"Don't mention it kid." Mustang and Hawkeye looked at him for a few more moments, then stepped out of the room with the rest of the adults, realizing that this might be one of the final times they would see Alphonse Elric.

"Make sure to stop by soon." The small voice of Pinako Rockbell interrupted their lament. "You too." She looked at Teacher and Sig.

"We couldn't possible intrude like that-" Hawkeye was interrupted as Pinako huffed.

"Far as I'm concerned all of the people in this room helped Ed and Al." She smiled, "It's not in my nature to let friends of the boys who've helped them simply go without dinner." She thought back to the Major Armstrong, and to all the people Ed and Al had told her about over the years. "And plus there's the funeral." Pinako sighed, scratching her head and looking each one square in the eye. "I didn't even let the man from the military come and talk Al into letting a grave stone be set up for Ed here, and don't tell me after all this time you all spent with those boys that now you're going to forget decency. There's the funeral and then we'll celebrate."

"Celebrate what exactly?" Izumi asked morbidly.

"A life spent doing some good and the return of a life." Pinako smiled and dodged back into the room with the call of, "I'll see you all in one week." It was a comment that left no room for not showing up on her doorstep in one week.

* * *

><p>Winry smiled as she saw her grandmother and Al come on to the train platform. Al's face was paler, but healthier looking than it had been before. Winry smiled sadly as she saw how thin he was.<p>

They really had been lucky, she knew, that the trains were still running after all that had happened, but then again; the country had to keep moving forward.

"Hey Al," Winry greeted, smiling down at him. "You've grown."

"Hopefully more around the middle." He smiled back, but to any eye it was half hearted.

"Here Winry," Pinako loaded the young girl with the box and gestured back to the train, "Let's go home, huh?"

"K grandma…" she winced at the awkward position of the box and then continued on, eager to show them where they were sitting. "Grandma, I need you to look at the boy."

"Wrath?" Al supplied, eyes widening as he recalled Teacher distantly yelling about a boy called Wrath being hurt and in the care of Pinako, who had verified the whole incident.

"Yeah…" it seemed to Al that even saying the name was a personal injury to his childhood friend.

"What's the matter with him?" Pinako noticed the pace sped up and kept her voice quiet.

"He's burning up and the port…" she winced as she recalled bending over, looking at it and then sniffing for signs of rot and decay, "The port looks bent." Winry kept walking, her long hair whipping around her as she looked back at Al experimentally.

"I'll have a look. You have the arm and leg with you?" Pinako put the pipe in her apron pocket and sighed. "It'll be a hack job, but we can make little adjustments when we get home." _The quicker the better. _Pinako thought, thinking of Ed's upcoming funeral, _Lest Al gets any ideas about human transmutation. _

Wrath was shaking as Winry pressed a cloth to his mouth.

"No." he growled feral, making her retract a half step.

"Yes." She growled back, firmly placing it by his mouth until he bit down. "We can't put you under so it's either this or we force it on you and get arrested for torture." Pinako smiled at her granddaughters choice of words. At least she hadn't raised a whimpering doctor of a child.

Wrath breathed heavily as Pinako sat him up, taking position at the leg for once and letting Winry do the shoulder. _Get it on fast, _Pinako chided herself, _Get it on and leave it till we can make adjustments at home._

"On the count of three," she began, "One, two, _three!_" with a flick of a switch the gears were connected to the artificial nerves and the limbs were semi functional. "Good enough for now." She laid the boy down on the seat and put a coat down as a pillow.

"So Al," Winry asked, sitting by him, "Are you excited to go home?" she couldn't bring herself to think about how he was going back without Ed, and how he had no memory.

"It'll be good to see everyone again." _But to hear them ask about Ed…_ he couldn't finish the thought.

"We might just have a celebration for your return." Winry smiled gently. _And a funeral for Ed…_

"I'll invite everyone you want." Pinako smiled at Al and patted his arm, taking a seat across from him by Wrath's trembling feet.

Al looked at her for a moment, then his eyes closed and his chest constricted.

"Get some sleep Alphonse… we'll wake you up when we get there." She didn't have to tell him twice as his eyes closed, his head lolled and he collapsed into sleep.


	11. Chapter 11: Condolences

Chapter 11:

*** Note: the dates in this chapter are simply a stretch of the imagination**

Risenbool was quieter than Alphonse remembered. Sure when he'd been young it hadn't been busy, but people had roamed freely and there had been an ample amount of citizens. Then again, as he thought, it hadn't been quiet when Ed had been there…

"Remember Madaline Al?" Winry asked, supporting Wrath with both of her arms. "She's dying to see you again!" she tried to drag his mind off of Ed, off of the loneliness that surrounded the place.

"Yeah?" he gave a half-hearted grin, one that read, _I'm here, I'm fine_. But it was all a ruse. Alphonse _wasn't _fine, he wasn't all here.

"C'mon you three, let's get home." Granny moved forward, moving the proverbial show on the road.

They walked past old houses and farms, and new ones. They'd gone up the hill and took the long route that led past the old Elric house. Al stopped miserably at the front and gently put a hand on the ashen fence post. Here, it all started hadn't needed any prodding from Pinako to go down the lane with them and back into the old house.

"Ed's going to have a funeral." Al sighed, rubbing his temple and sitting his elboes on the table. "We should start making plans." His breath hitched as it hit him that this was it. Ed would be officially gone and not returning if and when he did this.

"Al, we don't have to talk about this tonight," Pinako began, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to do this now." She smiled at him. "Why don't you go lay down and think it over for a while." She gently urged him towards the empty room and gave a brief glance at the boy sobbing on the couch. Wrath. Ed's possible killer. Here asleep on her couch and with Ed's automail.

Pinako Rockbell liked to think that she treated everyone as equals. After her son and daughter-in-law had been killed in Ishbal she'd treated military soldiers who may or may not have killed them. She'd treated friend and foe in all the towns she'd ever worked in. She may not have done it with respect and kindness, but the job got done. It was a question that had never needed to be asked. But now, with this-this boy on her furniture, she'd had to do something she'd have never thought before. _Force_ herself to do it right and to not make an "accident".

One Week later:

It was to be a small, private gathering. Family and friends. Not a glorified sainthood, not to celebrate a fuhur. Just to remember a talented friend.

Pinako had made breakfast in the morning, also sitting the dishes for later on in a freezer that Winry had designed. And after that they'd all gotten dressed. Pinako dressed in the only mourning clothes she had, the same ones that she'd worn to her child's funeral, to Trisha's funeral, and now to Ed's funeral. She also wore them for Wrath. The boy had refused to stay another minuet in their home so without warning he took off after the adjustments had been made. Swallowed by the darkness the night before Pinako could only think, _good riddance. _

Winry was dressed in all black, a hat that was made for such occasions on her head just like it had been at Ed's mother's funeral. She tried to rouse herself from grief, but couldn't, she was on autopiolet and was crashing.

Alphonse, however, was too enthralled. He was dreaming, he knew he was, but Ed was standing before him, staring as if right through him and smiling.

"_Edward!" he called out, reaching his hand up to touch him. "Ed?" his face fell. Logic told him Ed was gone, but this told him that Ed was out there. The transmutation had merely separated them. _

"Al!" Granny's sharp voice roused him up and out of bed, his funeral garb now wrinkled to no extent. "C'mon kid, we've gotta go." Sympathy etched her voice, but it did not leave room for balking at her orders. Soft and stern, that was granny.

"I'm coming." Al murmured, silently padding down the stairs to Winry's side, face downcast and eyes dull. _Ed's gone, Ed's gone, Ed's gone, Ed's gone,_ he thought, over and over, _It was a dream, it was a dream, it was a dream, it was a dream._ But the nagging feeling that it wasn't solidified with every word.

The gravesite was crowded. Friends from Risenbool who hadn't spoken to either of them in years were there, the Rockbells, the Colonel and Lieutenant, who each smiled gently at Al, Teacher, and himself. Then there was the headstone.

**Edward Elric: The Fullmetal Alchemist**

**1928-1945**

**May he rest in peace after all the good done and people saved.**

"**Be tho for the people"**

The granite had had the words carved, then solidified into them by flames, but the placing was what moved Al. It sat beside their mother, on the hillside, overlooking the land as far as you could see, and directly below them lay the Rockbell's. It seemed to suit a state alchemist. Or at least Al thought.

One by one the grieving people took their turn going up to the tombstone and placing flowers or other small tokens of remembrance on the foot of the grave. Then, one by one, each person gave a silent nod, or string of condolences to Al. The last Elric. The survivor.

As Teacher made it to him and his forlorn face she gently put a hand on his shoulder in silent comfort, then passed by, allowing the woman behind her to speak to Alphonse. Rose, and her baby.

"These are for you," she said, handing Al the flowers. "The Major said to offer you his condolences… he would've come but there were some issues that had to be attended to in Liore." She smiled apologetically. "They told me about your memory," she faltered for a moment, "I'm Rose."

A spark of recognition of the name flipped within him and he smiled warmly at her. "Be sure to stay for the dinner afterwards and we'll talk more then." With a smile and a little cry from the baby she was gone, lost in the congregating people at the end of the lane. Next came the Colonel and Hawkeye, dressed in military funeral wear and offering hurried condolences to Al.

"Are you staying?" Al asked, looking up at them expectantly.

"Of course Alphonse," Hawkeye began, looking at him, "we'll just be going to the house now." With a soft pat on the shoulder she and her former boss set off, following the milling crowds to the Rockbell's place. Al stayed standing where he was and accepted the rest of the crowd.

Sure this wasn't how his mom's funeral went, that was much shorter and more proper. Little condolences were offered to Trisha's two boys, but other than that there had been no celebration afterwards. No celebration of a life well spent, or of one just returning. Alphonse Elric was left to wonder if this was how it should be. Have a funeral, have a party.

When the last person had come through Al felt granny tug on his sleeve and say sympathetically, "C'mon Al… we've got to go to the party." He simply smiled back.

"It's okay granny," he looked at the tombstone a final time and thought, _he isn't gone. I can feel it!_, "I'm sure Ed's partying too!"

Pinako would then think it was a slip of the tongue, it wouldn't be until later that she would realize that Alphonse was being serious.


	12. Chapter 12: Alive

Chapter 12: Alive

"But I _know_ he's alive!" Alphonse yelled, almost lurching across the table in exasperation.

"Al there was no body! All we saw was blood and you!" Pinako forced herself to calm down, what with the military dogs, the boys' teacher, Rose and Winry all staring at her. The party had been short and sweet, the little family dinner however, had erupted into this.

"I just _know _he's alive!" Al looked at Teacher, then to the colonel. "There is a chance right?" he met their eyes (or eye in the case of the colonel). "We don't truly know how the gate works! He could still be alive!"

Dead silence filled the room.

"There is a small chance Al." Teacher looked down at her lap. "But we will never know for sure."

"I would like to think that he is Alphonse," the colonel spoke up, staring at Al. "I hope that he is." Al nodded softly and chocked back a little laugh. _How can they not know? How can they not _feel_ him?_ He thought tiredly.

Hawkeye stood up and tall as she smiled at Al. "We have to back in Central tomorrow morning. Alphonse?" she waited until he looked at her and smiled. "Please call us every now and again, okay?" he nodded and watched as they exited the house. He would keep contact with them, they were Ed's friends… his friends… and they were good people who according to granny, 'were going to suffer in brimstone for the good they did'. Al could only hope that that wouldn't be the case.

"C'mon Al!" Rose shifted her baby, "Let's go outside, huh?" she cocked her head and smiled. 

The day was beginning to wane as Winry sat on the hillside with everyone, watching Al and Den chase each other by the very same river that he and Ed used to play by. It was a bittersweet smile, more reminiscent if anything else.

"What ever happened to Wrath?" Izumi asked, half fearing of what she would hear.

"Winry and I fitted him with Ed's new model." Pinako looked at the teacher long and hard. "He left shortly after."

"I see…" she sighed, "he's a wanderer…" Sig's arm came to rest around her.

"I got a letter from Chezka today," Winry sighed, breaking the silence, looking gently over Al.

"The book worm?" Pinako asked, puffing on her pipe thoughtfully.

"Yeah, she says that things in Central are getting better." Winry Rockbell held out a hand for Roses' child's hand. "And she wanted to know how Al was." Alphonse threw a stick as hard as he could for Den, then marched over to the others. "What's up Al?" Winry called, waving at him with her free hand.

"Just tired!" Al smiled at Teacher who simply smiled back. His face grew serious as he looked at them all in turn. "I want to tell you all something." He smiled, "I want to train again."

The shocked looks abruptly deflated his speech.

"The last time me and brother did this great things happened! We saved people! I want to do some good! And with that, maybe I can bring Ed back!" Teacher looked into his determined eyes, into the blue orbs that had bore that same expression long ago.

"How can I say no to that face?" she smiled at her student. Always an alchemist. "We'll leave tomorrow!" Teachers traditional expression tore through the weary one she'd been wearing as of late. It was good to Al, that was the face he'd wanted to see since he'd been back, the carefree expression that Edward had always worn.

So when the train departed that next day, all Alphonse Elric could think as he sped away from Granny and Winry was that he was on the way to get Ed back.

And with his hand stretched towards the clouds he could swear he saw Ed's automail limb reaching out towards his flesh and bone one. And that hope was enough to carry on.


	13. Chapter 13: Epilouge: Home

Chapter 13: Epilogue

_*** Well, here it is! The conclusion to this fun filled adventure that had me trying to overcome procrastination for over 2 months! **_

**One year later to the day:**

_One is all and all is one_, Alphonse Elric thought, transmuting for the last time alongside Ed. After loosing Teacher, after loosing Ed then gaining him back, after hearing how Mustang had dropped out after the court case and gone under the radar, how Hawkeye had continued with a military career, and then with the turmoil of these new conquistadors there hadn't been a lot of time to catch up with Edward.

But this was good. This felt natural. Edward was back to making badass comments towards Mustang.

"Good to have you back Fullmetal!" Mustang had called, and Al had to agree.

And now he was here, now he was beside Ed, traveling along with his brother and an unfamiliar gypsy, in an unfamiliar world. Now he was here with Ed and he couldn't be happier. Sure he would miss Hawkeye, Mustang, Granny and Winry, everyone. But nothing could compare to him finally seeing Ed in the flesh, seeing his brother run towards him, seeing Ed alive.

And looking at Edward beside him, looking at this new world around him, Alphonse Elric couldn't help but know that he would never-_ever_- give this up for anything.

"It's good to see you out of that suite!" Ed had yelled when they were on the other side. The first words Al heard out of his brother in ages and it had felt good to hear it. And the memories - they were all suddenly flowing back, no longer was he in the dark he remembered how Mustang recruited Ed! How They had fought to save Nina, how they had helped Amestris, how Ed had treated his automail...

"What're ya thinking Al?" Ed grinned, cocking his head and smiling. As Al's thoughts derailed at his voice.

Al paused for a moment, thinking of how it felt to be here. "Just how good it is to be home." Al smiled back.


End file.
